A close friend of mine of many years standing, who is bright, intelligent, has worked for Dyson, and the court system, among various jobs, is also a regular church-going Catholic, as befitting a good convent girl of Irish lineage.
Call her fearful and ignorant, and I would be running for cover...
Having said that, as a Pantheist, I don't understand the need, or have it myself, but I refuse to be critical of those who do.

I didn't mean that all church goers are currently fearful and ignorant (although I'm sure a large portion are), I meant that the reason the Churches have acquired so much power over the centuries is by exploiting fear and ignorance. Not so long ago you could be burnt at the stake for questioning their beliefs, which I believe would make most Dyson employees somewhat fearful...

I meant that the reason the Churches have acquired so much power over the centuries is by exploiting fear and ignorance
Welcome to 200 years ago. I suggest you start reading the next volume of your history book. In fact, you'd better re-read all the previous volumes, you sound pretty ignorant.

Fear and ignorance might not be the preferred method these days, surely it's now just ignorance? Ignorance on a foundation of fear and ignorance built over thousands of years?

Don't quote me on that though! My knowledge on the matter is weak at best!

I suppose what I really would like to know is how do new generations of believers (whatever their chosen religion), believe what they believe?

It's ok to take the moral high ground, but I think the issue a lot of folk have is that the intolerance of atheists usually involves derision of the religious and pompous "they're all idiots/I pity them" discussions like this, whereas the intolerance of religionists usually involves claiming the right to dictate the minutiae of everyday life, what's taught in schools, who can marry who, etc, and if you live in some parts of the world a very real threat to those not of the same world view.